News from around california

SACRAMENTO KINGS TO ACCEPT BITCOIN FOR PURCHASES: SACRAMENTO (AP) — The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases.

The Kings announced Thursday that fans will be able to buy gear from the official team store and pay for tickets with the digital money beginning March 1. Purchases will be processed through BitPay, which accepts the digital dollars and pays the Kings in cash.

Bitcoin users buy digital money and load it onto a virtual wallet. Unlike government-issued money, the value of Bitcoin fluctuates rapidly. At one point Thursday, the value of one Bitcoin was worth nearly $850.

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said the new payment method is part of his model for "NBA 3.0, which focuses on investments in technology, globalization and deep community partnerships."

STATE SUED OVER NEW FLAME RETARDANT REGULATIONS: SACRAMENTO (AP) — A chemical company is suing California to overturn new flammability standards for furniture and other products that allow manufacturers to stop using chemical flame retardants.

President Barack Obama on Thursday signed a bill into law that rebrands the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California in honor of the late astronaut. Armstrong was a test pilot at the Mojave Desert facility and later became the first moonwalker.

The center is being renamed the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. As a consolation, the center's test range will be named for Hugh Dryden, a former NASA executive.